PHOENIX, Ore. (Feb. 2, 2026) — Oregon State Police are investigating a fatal hit-and-run crash that killed a pedestrian early Saturday morning along Interstate 5 near Phoenix, authorities said.
Troopers responded at about 7:20 a.m. Jan. 31 to reports of a person down on the northbound shoulder near the Exit 24 on-ramp. A preliminary investigation determined the pedestrian, Anthony Jonathan Byam, 34, of Phoenix, had been struck by a vehicle that did not stop at the scene. Byam was pronounced dead by emergency responders.
Investigators said the driver involved has not yet been identified, and no suspect vehicle description has been released. Authorities continue to gather evidence and review the circumstances surrounding the crash.
Despite the on-scene investigation, traffic along Interstate 5 was not impacted, according to Oregon State Police.
OSP was assisted at the scene by Jackson County Fire District and the Oregon Department of Transportation, which helped with emergency response and roadway safety during the investigation.
The case is being handled by the Oregon State Police Collision Reconstruction Unit, a specialized team responsible for investigating fatal and critical injury crashes on Oregon highways. The unit is composed of ACTAR-accredited collision reconstructionists and technical investigators trained in advanced measuring techniques and the use of small unmanned aircraft systems to document complex crash scenes.
Anyone with information about the crash is urged to contact Oregon State Police as the investigation continues.
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